


Finders Keepers

by The Little MerBucky (blue_pointer)



Series: The Salariman [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Office, Boss/Employee Relationship, Comfort Food, Common Cold, Dubcon Kissing, Fubar the service dog - Freeform, Ice Skating, Jealousy, Jewish Tony Stark, Little Sisters, Love Triangles, Lover's quarrels, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Relationship Problems, Thanksgiving, War Veteran Steve Rogers, Winter Romance, commitment issues, sick/comfort, winteriron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-20 16:49:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13150866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_pointer/pseuds/The%20Little%20MerBucky
Summary: After saying 'I love you' to Bucky, Tony takes a step back to let him figure out his feelings. But Bucky refuses to examine either of his relationships. Feelings schmeelings. When Steve gets invited to Bucky's sisters' for Thanksgiving, Tony takes a tropical cruise with Raoul, and all hell breaks loose.





	Finders Keepers

By the time the winter holidays rolled around, things had changed. Tony had stopped making jokes about not wanting to be serious, and Bucky...was trying hard to be respectful of Tony’s feelings. In moments of silence, the L-word loomed large between them. Fortunately, Tony was really good at filling the silence with babble, and in those rare moments when he was lost for words, there was always sex. 

Though neither of them had talked about it since that fateful day, things had gotten a lot more serious between them. They still fucked at the office, but at least one night a week they slept in the same bed; usually two, whether it was Tony showing up at 3am to Bucky’s apartment and climbing into bed with him or Tony blowing up his phone until Bucky agreed to go over to his place, it was a thing that happened. And Bucky didn’t mind it. Sleeping alone sucked. They didn’t always have sex before they slept together, either. Sometimes they just pulled up the blankets, turned out the lights, and spooned.

Was that serious? Bucky tried not to think about it. It was easier not to. His relationship with Steve was just as intimate yet undefined. Steve had been going out of his way to give Bucky space since the couch incident. He’d even started hanging out with one of the guys from his group therapy sessions. Bucky was proud of him. Soon enough he’d have a proper friend network.

Was he jealous of the new guy? No, Sam was actually totally great. The three of them had hung out more than once. Sam seemed even better for Steve than Bucky was, insisting they go out to sports bars instead of sticking to Steve’s apartment.

Bucky was starting to think he’d lost his place at the top of Steve’s totem pole when, after a day of ice skating in the park, Steve pulled him aside and made out with him. Bucky had not been expecting that. “What was that for, Stevie?” he asked, when Steve finally let him up for air.

He turned away, embarrassed. “Sorry, Buck. You’re just so cute when you smile, and your cheeks and nose are all red from skating around in the cold air.”

“So are yours,” Bucky laughed.

“Oh yeah? What’re you sayin’, I’m like Rudolph or somethin’?” He bent to grab a handful of snow.

“Nah, you’re too pale for that. Maybe Frosty?”

In no time, they were engaged in a snowball fight that grew by leaps and bounds as kids and adults coming off the ice joined in. Fubar barked his head off, bounding through the snow and getting pelted with stray snowballs. He loved it.

Afterwards they went back to Steve’s to get out of their wet clothes, and Bucky sat in a hot bath while Steve made cocoa and waited on him hand and foot--he was afraid Bucky was going to get sick from the cold. “I’m fine, Steve,” Bucky told him. But it was nice to be pampered. Later, they’d fallen asleep on the couch together. Snuggling with Steve was the most comfortable feeling.

Bucky awoke in the dark to Steve’s hand on his dick, his lips on the back of Bucky’s neck, and a giant boner rubbing against his ass. He knew if he said anything, Steve would get embarrassed and stop, so he stayed quiet, letting Steve do his thing. All the same, when he was finished, all Bucky could think of was Tony. Tony’s lips wrapped around his cock. Being balls-deep in Tony’s ass.

When Steve got out of the shower--because he always had to shower after he came--Bucky kissed him goodbye, claiming he needed his own bed for a full night’s sleep. He didn’t like to lie to Steve, but the truth would have hurt more.

He turned his phone on to a number of texts and snapchats from Tony. Even though Tony knew Bucky turned his phone off when he was at Steve’s, he liked to spam his phone so that Bucky couldn’t not think of him when he left. Bucky was onto him, but he didn’t say so. He couldn’t say Tony’s strategy wasn’t working.

“Hey,” he looked into the camera. “Be at my place in 30? I need you.”

Tony was there in half the time, which made Bucky wonder if he’d taken his personal helicopter across town or if he had one of those clickers that ambulance drivers used to change the stop lights. “What is it, sweetpea?” he asked, tossing his scarf and gloves aside as he walked in.

Bucky didn’t answer in words, he just slammed Tony up against the wall and kissed him hard while he tugged Tony’s clothes off. For Tony’s part, he seemed pleased, making a happy noise as he shrugged out of his clothes and wrapped his legs around Bucky.

“I like this,” he said, as they lay sprawled across the bed an hour later. “You should call me over more often.” But Bucky was quiet, resting his head on Tony’s stomach. Tony’s fingers combed his hair back from his face, smoothing it back into place. “What happened? Did loverboy get fresh again?”

“Kind of,” Bucky replied after a long pause.

“Why don’t you tell him you don’t like it?”

Bucky sighed. “Because...I don’t want him to feel weird. I don’t wanna discourage him if he’s brave enough to explore this stuff for the first time in...however long.” Maybe ever, which made Bucky even more determined to go along with it.

Tony sat up to look him in the eye. “So, what? You’d let him fuck you if he wanted? Wow. Brings new meaning to ‘you’ve got a friend in me.’”

Why was Tony shaming him? He was just trying to be supportive of Steve. Besides, sex didn’t really matter. Bucky felt he’d proved that with Tony. “He could just as easily say you’ve got an employee in you.”

Tony was very quiet. “Touche.” He started to get up, look for his clothes.

“Tony, stop. What are you doing?”

“Welp, looks like our business for tonight is over. See you back at the office on Monday.”

“Tony…” Bucky slid out of bed and followed him around until he could get his arms around him. But Tony went stiff, refusing to reciprocate. “Wow, you’re really pissed, huh?”

Tony pulled his pants on, doing his best to ignore Bucky. “I expect to see you for our usual appointment at 3pm, Mr. Barnes. Seeing as you haven’t protested being the employee inside me so far.” He glared at Bucky, jerking his collar into place.

Bucky sighed. “I’m sorry, Tony. You know that’s not how it is. I just...got defensive, I guess.”

“You know I’m fine with this thing you have going with star-spangled lunk alert.” But the way he angrily stamped his feet into his shoes seemed to say the opposite to Bucky. “I never asked you to stop seeing him.”

Whoa, where was this conversation going? Bucky resisted the urge to back slowly out of the room.

“But I put a lot of time and effort into this relationship, and for you to imply you’re just going along with it because I’m your boss--”

“That’s--it was wrong.” Bucky’s shoulders slumped. “I know.”

Tony folded his arms over his chest. With his shirt wide open, it drew attention to his wiry upper body. Bucky was pretty sure Tony would win in a wrestling match between them. “Apologize.”

That pulled Bucky out of his reverie. He sighed, running fingers through his hair. “So it’s a relationship now?” He’d been dragging his feet on admitting it to himself. But it was. Hell, he’d gone to Tony for comfort tonight. He couldn’t deny that.

Tony walked closer and looked up into Bucky’s face. Without his platforms on, Tony was so much shorter than him. Bucky tended to forget that. “It’s been one, sugar.” He reached up to brush fingers across Bucky’s cheek. “Are you finally going to admit it? Because I’m in a little too deep now to pull out.”

Bucky’s lips quirked in a smirk. “What, like balls-deep?”

“Probably have to admit I’ve got at least one leg up there,” Tony kissed his jaw. “--if I’m honest.”

“Sounds painful,” Bucky joked, as Tony’s lips wandered.

“Only when you say hurtful things or pull away,” Tony told him softly.

“I’m sorry, Tony.” He slid his arms around Tony’s waist.

“Don’t be sorry,” Tony whispered. “Just let me keep you.” He kissed Bucky’s ear. “I can share.”

Bucky sighed. “Fuck.” This was commitment. This was terrifying. It took everything he had not to run from the room. But if he was honest with himself, he needed Tony for more than just booty calls anymore. The thought of him calling and Tony not coming hurt. So it looked like he was in deeper than he’d thought, too.

Tony kissed his temple. “I’ll go.”

“Don’t,” Bucky breathed, tightening his hold.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Tony told him, plastering himself against Bucky. “Just hold me.”

That broke something inside of Bucky. He carried Tony to the bed and kissed him all over until they were fucking again and Tony was dropping ‘I love you’s left and right and Bucky couldn’t bear to think of not being inside him ever again. It was a strange feeling. Terrifying. He’d gotten attached. And he’d tried so hard not to.

 

*

Tony seemed to know how afraid Bucky was of their connection. He disappeared quietly for the high holy days, and after a Halloween sex marathon, stepped back and let Bucky’s sisters invite Steve to join Bucky’s family for Thanksgiving. 

Kate had said it made more sense to invite a veteran for a holiday celebrating those who’d served. But Bucky knew his sisters didn’t really like Tony. They’d only seen his public face, and he was an asshole in public, there was no denying that. Add to it, Becky said he was beyond foolhardy to date his boss, and Patti kept harping on the fact Tony had never come out as queer to the press--instead making a big show of being a playboy. She said it wasn’t an honest relationship if he couldn’t even be honest with the public about his sexuality. But she didn’t know about Tony’s hyper-critical dad, or what coming out would do to their already abusive relationship. Bucky wasn’t going to tell her, either, because honestly it wasn’t her business.

In the end, Bucky sulked his way through Thanksgiving, wondering what Tony was doing, if he was okay, while his sisters fussed over Steve, gave him early Christmas presents, and insisted he help them trim the family tree. Fubar hung back with Bucky, giving him the worried eyes. “It’s okay, pal.” Bucky dug his fingers into Fubar’s shaggy coat, an exercise that was always therapeutic. “It’s nothin’ against you two.”

When Fubar kept giving him the eyes, Bucky realised he’d just been begging for turkey and snuck him some off the table. After that, Fubar got monopolized by his nieces and nephew, and had a great time following them around the house, jumping, and playing. Bucky snuck off to the bathroom to text Tony.

_ Where are you? _

It only took a few minutes for a snapchat to come back: a tropical paradise behind a hot twink in speedos. “Tahiti with Raoul. Would’ve invited you if I’d known you were free, wishbone.”

Bucky tossed his phone in the trash and walked out. Out of the bathroom, out of the house, straight out the front door and down the street. Without coat, hat, or gloves. His breath steamed in the November evening air, and he kept going.

It was Pat who finally caught up to him ten blocks away. She’d lettered in track, just like her brother, and ran five miles every morning. Catching up to him was a piece of cake. “Hey.” She grabbed Bucky’s hand, pulling him back. “What the hell got up your ass?”

“It’s nothing,” he grunted, towing her along behind him as he started off again.

“Well excuse me, but nothing doesn’t make me run outside in the cold in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner.”

“We were done eating.”

“Aren’t you worried about hurting Steve’s feelings?”

“Steve doesn’t care if I go for a walk. He’d understand.” But Bucky would have to come up with a reason why he hadn’t asked him to come along. She let his hand go, and Bucky walked off without her. Wasn’t there a park somewhere nearby? What the hell was wrong with Connecticut?

“It’s because we didn’t invite Tony, isn’t it?” she called after him.

“Shut up.” All he needed was for Steve to be down the block and overhear that.  

She caught up to him. “Well if we knew you liked him that much, we could have changed plans.”

“Stop. I don’t care.” But he was walking faster.

“Did he do Thanksgiving without you?”

“Quit it. I’m serious.” Bucky was practically jogging now.

“If you’re that upset, you should really break it off with Steve.”

“Steve is a good friend. I’m not giving him up because Tony’s a fucking asshole who goes to the south pacific for the holidays.” It was stupid to be this angry. They weren’t exclusive. But Tony had never talked to him about the other people he was seeing before. It felt like a knife wound.

“But to him you’re more than a friend.”

“Stay out of it, Pat.”

“Maybe you’re just afraid of being alone again.”

He whirled on her. “Well who died and made you Sherlock Holmes?” She jumped on him, then, hugging him with her feet dangling off the ground. Great, now he was gonna cry. “Goddammit, Patti.”

“You big dummy. You’ll always have us.” Bucky broke down, sobbing into her knit hat until the snot started to crystallize in the cold air.

“Come on,” his sister told him, starting to tow Bucky back toward the house. “You’re gonna get sick.”

“Did she call?” he asked, voice cracking, throat already sore.

Patti stopped, and the pity in her eyes when she turned back made him want to walk in front of a bus. “No. She didn’t call.”

“Well that’s fine,” he said, starting to lose his voice. “It doesn’t matter.” Why would his ex call his sisters to wish them a happy holiday? She’d been out of their lives for over a year now.

Patti turned back to hug him again, fiercely. “I said quit it,” he told her.

A car pulled up beside them. “You’re compromising your immune system by being out here without a coat or a hat.” Bucky looked up to see if anyone else was in the car with Becky. “Everyone’s out looking for you.”

Bucky sagged against Patti, guiltily. “Dammit.”

Back at Kate’s, all the adults fussed over him, but it was too late. Bucky could feel the cold coming on. Steve held him on the couch in front of the fire, Fubar stretched over his legs, but the hot cider and cocoa his sisters gave him just made his head swim, and Bucky was out like a light before 9pm.

When he woke next, he was in the guest bed. “Where’s Steve?” It was hard to make noise come out of his aching throat.

“Drink some water,” Kate’s voice told him in the darkness. He felt a straw pressed against his lips. Bucky drank and then sagged back against the pillows. “Steve’s in David’s old room. We tried to tell him to go home, but he wouldn’t have it.”

Bucky wasn’t sure what to say to that. Did he want Steve here in bed with him? No. He might get grope-y. Did he wish Steve had gone home so he didn’t have to deal with him while trying to deal with all of his Tony feelings? Yes. But Steve wouldn’t abandon him when he got sick; he wasn’t that type of guy.

“I found your phone.” Kate’s voice broke through his mental hamster wheeling. He felt the weight of it settle on the bed near his elbow. “In the trash.”

“Whatever.” Bucky turned away, knowing she was fishing for the story. Well, he didn’t want to talk about it.

“He said he’s sorry. He’s been asking for you.”

Bucky turned to glare at her. “Are you reading my messages now?”

She shrugged, shameless. “You know it’s not the first time.”

“Goddammit, Kate!” He snatched up his phone and hid it under the blankets.

She stood to go. “The kid’s cute, but you know that’s just one of the cabana boys, right? He was baiting you.”

“Why don’t you hop on your broom and fly away already?”

“Sounds like you fell for it hook, line, and sinker.”

“Go piss up a rope.”  

“Jesus, H, Pretty. You’re an Olympic medal-grade dummy.”

“Fuck off.” But she was already gone. Bucky tossed and turned. Picked the crust out of his eyes. Tried to wipe his runny nose and finally gave up; it was like a faucet. He coughed up phlegm, swallowed it, coughed again, spit. Gross. Feeling like ass just made him even more pissed off.

Bucky pulled out his phone and dialed Tony without reading any of his interim messages.

“Stark Industries, inventors of soylent green: you kill ‘em, we grill ‘em _.” _

“Now you listen up, because I’m only gonna say this once.” Bucky had no patience for Tony’s clever quips today. “I asked where you were because I was worried about you maybe being alone on Thanksgiving. You wanna brag about some romantic holiday getaway with one of your boy-toys, you do that for your followers on Instagram, okay? I didn’t text you to get my nose rubbed in how much of a good time you’re having--” He just barely stopped himself from saying ‘without me.’

“Sugarplum.” Tony sounded a little taken aback. Had Bucky’s rant surprised him? Good. The asshole. “You’re not...jealous?”

Bucky hung up and threw the phone across the room. It bounced off the wall with a thud, landing god-knew-where. Good riddance.

“Uncle Jimmy, you okay?” Damn. The kids were on the other side of that wall.

“Sorry. Everything’s fine.” But then his phone started to chirp. And ping. And beep. And when he ignored it, it started to ring. “Goddammit.” Bucky pulled the blankets over his head and hid. But it just kept ringing. And ringing and ringing and ringing. He could hear the kids talking from the next room. No doubt it was keeping them up. Why hadn’t he turned the volume off before dinner? Because he’d been hoping Tony would call or text.  _ Dammit. _

Bucky sighed, just having resigned himself to having to get out of bed and shut it off when the door to his room clicked open.  _ Oh no. _ His phone stopped ringing.

“This is Kate Middleton. I’m sorry, but Prince William can’t come to the phone right now, may I take a message?” Did she think she was funny or something? “Mmhmm. Yes. Okay. Yeah, I can do that. Yup. I’ll tell him. Yes. Alright. Cheerio.” Then she left, taking the phone with her.

Bucky peeped out of the blankets. What the hell? Was it really Tony? What had he said? Well he was damned if he was going to go after Kate to find out. If she wanted to play games with him, he refused to participate. That’d show her.

In the morning, Steve and Fubar came in to check on him. Bucky felt immeasurably worse. Steve apologized, saying they needed to get back into the city for doctors’ appointments. Bucky knew that was code for therapy. It was nice they were there for patients over the long weekend, when many of them would be struggling with their depression due to the holiday. He briefly considered asking to come along to Steve’s group. But, no, that would be stupid.

Bucky promised to check in with Steve later--forgetting that Kate still had his phone. Steve promised to come take care of him if he decided to go back to his place while he was still sick. He didn’t seem worried about catching Bucky’s cold, even kissed him goodbye on his way out.

Bucky didn’t want to deal with any of his feelings, so he just went back to sleep. Becky brought him soup and tea like clockwork, and he ignored it the first couple of times. By dinner, though, he was starting to regain his appetite, and he ate the dry toast she’d brought in, along with the lukewarm tea. He could hear his sisters and their families chattering and pitter-pattering around the house, but no one disturbed him. When Bucky started to feel sorry for himself, he went back to sleep.

The next time he woke up, Bucky realized he hadn’t texted Steve. Then he remembered Kate still had his phone. But he felt too shitty to get worked up, so he went back to sleep again. He would sleep all weekend if he had to.

 

*

 

Bucky didn’t know what day it was. His cold had settled like a knife at the edge of his brain, and his body had that newborn colt feeling, that if he stood up, he might fall down again, but he could possibly stand if he tried. Part of him wanted to. His brain was tired of sleeping, though his body was still sluggish. 

There was a cold gust of air through the room, and he looked up, half expecting to see Becky had opened a window to get the germs out. He was shocked to see Tony standing there in his jacket and scarf. His eyes looked scared, uncertain.

If Bucky had been well, he could have thought of a thousand snarky greetings, subtle digs, even clever things to say. But he was sick. “I thought you were in Tahiti,” he croaked.

“Oh, lamb chop. You really are sick.” Tony strode over to the bed, looking worried.

“It’s just a cold,” Bucky insisted. “No big deal.” He coughed up a lung to demonstrate.

Tony sat at the edge of the bed, placing his fingers to Bucky’s forehead. “You’re hot.” He leaned forward to press his lips to Bucky’s forehead next. “But not so hot we need a doctor.”

He stood up, taking Bucky’s hand in his, chafing his fingers. Tony’s hands were warm. Bucky hadn’t realised how cold his hand was before Tony had held it. “You just sit tight, Bucky bear. I’m gonna make you some of Mom’s chicken soup. I’ll have you feeling better in no time.”

A dizzy spell suddenly rocked Bucky’s head like an earthquake. He was going to tell Tony none of that was necessary, but Tony was already gone.

Over the next two days, Tony became the Jewish mother Bucky had never asked for, fussing over him and feeding him and nagging him until he just gave in and let Tony take care of him. He saw none of his sisters, though he knew Kate was around--it was her house, for crying out loud--and Patti had the week off school. It was like there was no one in the house at all but him and Tony. Which felt weird, because they were definitely at Kate’s.

By the second night of Tony’s nursing, Bucky finally started to feel a little better. He looked up at Tony like a dying moose, finding himself craving Tony’s attention. It was like he was addicted to it now it had been forced on him for hours on end. His caregiver was sitting next to him in bed, propped up, reading the Wall Street Journal. Tony was wearing a pair of Kate’s flannel PJs, the ones with purple unicorns on them. “How’re we doin’?” Bucky asked, figuring Tony was checking the stocks.

“Who cares?” Tony folded the paper carelessly, tossing it beside the bed. “I love you.” He leaned over Bucky, looking down at him like a very affectionate bird of prey. Tony stooped on Bucky, then, kissing him as hard as possible with closed lips.

Bucky just relaxed into it, wrapping his arms around Tony’s neck, not protesting when Tony slid under the covers with him and wrapped one of his legs around Bucky’s. “Hey,” he asked softly. “Wanna fuck?”

Bucky sagged against him, chuckling softly. “Didn’t think you were that kind of nurse.”

“Buckybun, I’ll be whatever kind of nurse you need.” His eyes smoldering, he bit Bucky’s neck gently, making him shiver.

“I would not say no to a blowjob.”

“Smart man,” Tony told him, mock serious. But when he started to slide down under the blankets, Bucky stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“Tony...you don’t gotta do this.”

Tony looked offended. “I left my holiday vacation on a yacht to come take care of you. I’ve skipped work for the last two days, AND called in sick for you, not to mention I’ve cooked for you, sponge-bathed you, and nursed you back to health. And now you’re telling me I don’t have to do this?”

“Well, I mean--you don’t--I meant you don’t gotta blow me.”

“I deserve  _ some _ reward for all my hard work, don’t I?” He looked so offended that Bucky laughed.

Tony pinched him, and then set about the grueling task of sucking Bucky’s dick until he came. Bucky knew he was still sick because it was exhausting, though the endorphins didn’t hurt his mood.

“Penny for your thoughts, sailor?” Tony asked, wriggling back up onto the pillow and sliding his arms around Bucky.

“I--” Bucky sighed. “I just feel like such an asshole.”

“Maybe so, but you’re my asshole,” Tony quipped, grabbing one of Bucky’s hands and intertwining their fingers. “Finders Keepers.”

Bucky snorted a laugh and rested his cheek against Tony’s hair.

After that week, he couldn’t deny his feelings for Tony anymore. After that, he stopped trying.

Tony had a board meeting before the week was out. They were teleconferencing with the Hong Kong office, and he couldn’t skip out. Bucky said he understood, but he was sad to see Tony go.

Tony left him one of his emergency phones and promised he’d call Bucky as soon as the meeting was over--or he’d gotten away from his father--whichever happened last.

After he left, Bucky lay in bed, wondering what he should do. Bored. Thinking about his life in ways he hadn’t done for a long time.

“So.” Kate appeared in the doorway, and Bucky immediately rolled his eyes. “You never told me how sweet he is.”

Bucky shrugged. “He’s got a marshmellow center. Doesn’t exactly want word to get out about it.”

“You’re stupid if you don’t make it official,” she said, turning away. “A guy like that’s not gonna wait forever.”

“So says the Ice Queen.”

She stopped, and leaned back in, looking somber. “Don’t make the same mistake I did, Pretty.”

“What, being born ugly?” he grinned. She threw her shoe at him.

“And tell Steve you’re just friends,” she called back, hobbling away down the hall with only one shoe.

Bucky stared at the phone, contemplating.  _ Nope. _ That was not a conversation he was ready to have. Either of them.

When Tony FaceTimed him later, he looked so upset, Bucky knew he’d had another of his run-ins with his dad. “Meet you for drinks in an hour?” Bucky suggested.

“Oh god.” Tony swiped a palm over his face. “Yes, please.”

“Hey.” Something in Bucky’s tone made him look up at the camera. “I’ll see you soon. Okay, sweetheart?”

Tony smiled a little at the unexpected endearment, his face starting to flush. “Alright, one hour. Not one second more.”

“I’ll be there with balls on.” Tony was laughing when Bucky hung up the phone.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> One of Tony's nicknames for Bucky is Wishbone, not because he thinks Bucky is a PBS terrier or part of a bird skeleton, but because he wishes Bucky would bone him.


End file.
